Ten charged with DUI; new cars damaged

Area law enforcement officers arrested five people over the weekend and on Monday for driving under the influence, including a man who reportedly crashed his pickup truck into new cars at Oak Ridge Nissan.

(Photos in the June 13 print edition of The Oak Ridger) Area law enforcement officers arrested five people over the weekend and on Monday for driving under the influence, including a man who reportedly crashed his pickup truck into new cars at Oak Ridge Nissan.

Oak Ridge Police Officer Matthew Johnston arrested 29-year-old Rashaad Ali Daniels, 418 Villanova Road, on Sunday after he allegedly made a U-turn on Oak Ridge Turnpike then went off the road and crashed into several new cars at Oak Ridge Nissan.

Police reports said witnesses told police Daniels was driving at a high rate of speed about 2 p.m. when he “suddenly made a U-turn.” He reportedly hit several metal poles before going into the dealership lot, and at one point, tried to get his truck off of the poles by going back and forth and spinning tires, which caused more damage to the cars.

Reports said Daniels was unsteady and agitated, and admitted to drinking earlier.

James Edward Parton, 46, 114 Maple Lane, Powell, was charged with DUI on Sunday after a crash on Oak Road in Powell.

Reports said Parton ran into a ditch and residents saw him throw whisky bottles onto their property. One witness told Anderson County Sheriff’s Department Deputy James Presson that he saw Parton crawl from his Jeep and fall down.

Parton reportedly admitted to drinking and taken to the Anderson County jail, “where a forced blood draw was performed.”

Because of a recent Supreme Court decision, some Tennessee law enforcement agencies are now obtaining a search warrant in every instance where a blood test is appropriate. In this case, Presson reported Assistant District Attorney General Ryan Spitzer “advised me to do a warrantless forced blood draw due to the amount of time spent investigating the crash.”

On Saturday morning, Oak Ridge Police Officer Kyle Scott arrested 44-year-old Tricia Sue Burdick for DUI second offense. Reports said she didn’t stop at a stop sign while leaving Lincoln’s Sports Grille. She reportedly smelled of alcohol and performed poorly on field sobriety tests. Her prior DUI arrest was in December 2011, also in Oak Ridge.

Richard Alan Pittman, 40, 203 S. Hobbs Road, Knoxville, was arrested on Monday for DUI. Oak Ridge Police Officer Garrett Robbins reported he saw Pittman’s car go over a raised median on South Illinois Avenue and swerve into the outside lane and back into the inside lane. The officer reported his radar indicated Pittman’s car was going 24 mph.

Page 2 of 2 - He stopped the car on North Illinois Avenue at the intersection of Hillside Road, where Pittman’s car blocked the intersection. According to a report, the officer noticed Pittman smelled of alcohol, urinated and vomited on himself, and told him he was in Knoxville. He admitted to drinking at the Bucket Head Bar in Knoxville and said he was on his way home. Pittman refused to take field sobriety tests and a blood alcohol content test, reports said.

The five people arrested over the weekend put the total number of DUI arrests in June at 10, which includes the Memorial Day holiday weekend.

One person was also charged on May 31 of the holiday weekend.

Those arrested for DUI on May 31 and in June prior to June 8 include Samuel Lee Pride, 44, 1303 Cove Lane, Oliver Springs, who was also charged with child endangerment, violation of the child restraint law and no proof of insurance; Gary Hall, 62, 5709 Lyons View Drive, Knoxville, also charged with violation of the implied consent law; Howard Pesterfield, 56, 130 Farmer Road, Kingston, fourth offense DUI and also charged with driving on a revoked license; Kenneth L. Robbins, 34, 82 E. Tennessee Ave.; and Dana Robin Beauchamp, 46, 273 Carriage View, Clinton, who was additionally charged with violation of the implied consent law and failure to yield to an emergency vehicle.